Tourniquet having a buckle resistant to torsional force

ABSTRACT

A tourniquet having a first elongated member with a buckle on one end, and a second elongated member attached at both ends to the end of the first elongated member but leaving an intermediate portion of the second elongated member otherwise slidable with respect to the first elongated member. A windlass is used to twist the intermediate portion to apply tension to the first longitudinal member. Twisting the windlass produces a lineal component to the force and a torsional component. The buckle includes a first lateral side, a second lateral side and an intermediate bar between and spaced apart from them. The buckle also includes an anti-torsional plate that resists the torsional force. The buckle also has “teeth” the resist movement of the first longitudinal member from the buckle.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a national stage application under 35 U.S.C. § 371of Application No. PCT/US17/55471, filed on Oct. 6, 2017, which claimspriority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/407,370, filed onOct. 12, 2016, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein byreference.

FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY

The present disclosure relates to tourniquets and, more particularly, totourniquet resistant to torsional forces.

BACKGROUND

When an injured person is alone or medical assistance is not immediatelyavailable, loss of blood is a major risk of death. The use of atourniquet to stop blood loss from an injured arm or limb is well known.Without help and bleeding profusely, the injured victim must be able toapply a tourniquet to his or her own arm or limb using only one hand tohave a chance at survival.

Tourniquets of the prior art comprise an elongated strap and a buckleand another component intended to increase circumferential pressure onthe limb, such as a ratchet to windlass. The ratchet and windlassgenerate inward radial compression when the tourniquet is wrapped aroundthe injured limb by using high levels of circumferential tension. As thepressure on the limb increases, the friction between the tourniquet andthe limb also increases, causing the underlying soft tissue to move withthe strap as it is drawn tighter. Soft tissues underlying the strap maybe drawn into the buckle where the soft tissue may be pinched by thevery highly localized pressure against it. Shearing forces may alsoendanger the soft tissue, increasing the probability of nerve damage andtearing. Friction between the strap and the limb may also create regionsof low pressure where tension is not evenly distributed by the straparound the limb's circumference, and, as a result, arterial blood maynot be completely staunched despite high tension on the strap.

In general, the application of uneven pressure around the limb may driveoverall tourniquet pressures ever higher to stop arterial blood flow,while also increasing the probability of a range of injuries to nerves,muscles, and limbs.

Those engaged in activities where the risk of serious injury isheightened, including many recreational activities, such as hiking, rockclimbing, and camping, will select the gear they take with them based onvarious criteria, including weight. Simply stated, if a tourniquet istoo bulky or has an excessive weight, the potential user will not packand carry a tourniquet. A small, lightweight tourniquet that can beeasily packed and carried is more likely to be included as part ofrecreational gear.

Accordingly, there is a need for an easy to use, lightweight tourniquetthat effectively restricts blood flow, and that ideally can be appliedwith one hand, without pinching, tearing, or otherwise damaging softtissues.

SUMMARY

According to its major aspects and briefly recited, herein is discloseda tourniquet having a first elongated member with a first end and anopposing second end. A buckle is attached to the first end. The presenttourniquet has second elongated member with a first end and an opposingsecond end. The first end and the second end of the second elongatedmember are attached to the second end of the first elongated member withleaving an intermediate portion of the second elongated member betweenthe attached first and second ends of the second elongated memberotherwise slidable with respect to said first elongated member. Awindlass is configured to apply force to said intermediate portion ofthe second longitudinal member when it is operated. That force has alineal component and a torsional component.

The buckle is a feature of the disclosure. The buckle has a firstlateral side with a first lateral sidewall, a second lateral side and anintermediate bar located between them and spaced apart from them. Thefirst lateral sidewall has a first lateral side; the second lateralsidewall has a second lateral side. An anti-torsion plate, which may bein the form of a rectangle, is attached to the first lateral sidewall.The second lateral side may have one or more teeth projecting toward theintermediate bar. The second end of the first elongated member runsbetween the first lateral side and the intermediate bar to define a loopin the second end of the first elongated member. The anti-torsion plateresists the torsional component of the force on the loop when thewindlass applies force.

The anti-torsion plate, another feature of the disclosure, may have aside, and the loop in the second end of the first elongated memberencircles the anti-torsion plate when it run between the intermediatebar and the first lateral side to form the loop. The torsion plate maybe rectangular so a first side of torsion plate can be attached to thefirst lateral sidewall of the first lateral side of the buckle, and theloop is attached to a second side and a third side of said rectangularof said anti-torsion plate.

A feature of the present tourniquet is a base. The first elongatedmember is attached to the base so that, when the windlass applies aforce to the second elongated member, the ends of the second elongatedmember are drawn toward the base.

Those skilled in the art of tourniquets and their use will seeadditional features and their advantages from a careful review of theDetail Description, accompanied by the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the figures:

FIG. 1 is a right-side perspective view of the tourniquet applied to aperson's right limb (as shown in dashed lines);

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG. 1, where the device isstretched out along its longitudinal axis;

FIG. 3 is a right elevation of the device shown in FIG. 1, where thedevice is shown prior to tightening the device using the windlass;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the device shown in FIG. 2 with thewindlass in an unwound position;

FIG. 5 is the same cross-sectional view of the device as shown in FIG. 4but with the first elongated member looped through the buckle and thewindlass in a partially wound position;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the device with thewindlass in a wound position;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the buckle end of the device with the firstelongated member looped through the buckle and the windlass in anunwound position;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the buckle end of the device with the firstelongated member looped through the buckle and the windlass in a woundposition;

FIG. 9 is a top, front perspective view of a buckle of the deviceaccording to the present disclosure;

FIG. 10 is a top, rear perspective view of the buckle shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the buckle shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a top, front perspective view of the buckle shown in FIG. 9,showing the first end of the first elongated member being looped throughthe second port of the buckle; and

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the buckle shown inFIG. 9, illustrating the interaction of the first elongated member withthe anti-torsion plate and the tooth set.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Herein is described a tourniquet that resists torsional forces of thewindlass while permitting linear forces when the tourniquet istightened. Furthermore, the tourniquet is less likely to slip or to pullskin into the buckle where it may be pinched and injured. Moreover, thetourniquet can be operated with one hand, thereby allowing the user toapply the tourniquet unassisted.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a tourniquet 10 is shown in accordance with thepresent disclosure. The tourniquet 10 comprises a first elongated member14, a second elongated member 18, a tension mechanism 22, and a securingmechanism 26. As shown in FIG. 1, the tourniquet 10 can be applied to anappendage L, such as a leg, and then tightened to restrict the flow ofblood to Limb L.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the tourniquet 10 is shown prior to use and ina stretched-out orientation. First elongated member 14 comprises alongitudinally extensive material having a first end 30 and a second end34. In accordance with the present disclosure, second end 34 includes arestraining mechanism, such as a ring or buckle 38.

When the tourniquet 10 is applied to limb L such as shown in FIG. 1,first end 30 is looped through buckle 38 and pulled tight around limb L,thus providing means for circumferentially surrounding or encirclinglimb L. FIG. 3 depicts tourniquet 10 after first end 30 is loopedthrough buckle 38.

Referring now to FIG. 4, in accordance with the present disclosure,first elongated member 14 may be formed of two panels comprising a firstpanel 42 and a second panel 46. The edges of the first and second panels42, 46 are connected, such as by sewing, gluing, stapling, clamping,heat/ultra-sound (sonic) welding, or combinations thereof. Firstelongated member 14 includes a pocket, which defines an interior space44 between first and second panels 42, 46.

First panel 42 comprises an outer surface 50 that preferably includeshook or loop structures. More preferably, outer surface 50 compriseshook structures and loop structures along first elongated member 14between first end 30 and an opening 54 where second elongated member 18is exposed between first panel 42 and second panel 46 of first elongatedmember 14. Thus, when first end 30 of first elongated member 14 runsthrough buckle 38, outer surface 50 may be formed into a loop by foldingit against itself, thereby attaching the position of first elongatedmember 14 to buckle 38. By way of example and not limitation, firstpanel 42 may comprise a length of tape such as that sold under thetrademark OMNI-TAPE® and manufactured by Velcro Industries B.V.,Amsterdam, Netherlands, wherein the fastening surface comprises hook andloop structures on outer surface 50, as depicted in FIG. 4. The use of acombination of hook and loop structures on outer surface 50 of firstelongated member 14 advantageously enables tourniquet 10 to be adjustedquickly when in use and able to accommodate a variety of sizes of limbsL, such as thighs and forearms.

To size the tourniquet 10 to limb L, the user simply wraps thetourniquet 10 around the subject limb L, loops the first end 30 of firstelongated member 14 through the buckle 38, pulls the tourniquet 10reasonably tight, and then presses the outer surface 50 togetherdetachably interlocking the outer surface 50 of first elongated member14 together with hook and loop structures within the region where theouter surface 50 overlaps beyond the buckle 38. Those skilled in the artwill appreciate that the outer surface 50 of first elongated member 14may be fitted with hook fasteners to match with corresponding loopfasteners. Although within the scope of the present disclosure, theability of a tourniquet so modified to accommodate various sizes oflimbs may be limited, nonetheless, such an issue could be addressed bymanufacturing tourniquets of different sizes and providing tourniquetshaving different portions of the outer surface 50 fitted with variouslengths of hook material to match-up with corresponding portions of loopmaterial.

Alternatively, other means of fastening the overlapping portion of firstelongated member 14 may be provided, such as with buttons, snaps, ortransverse straps, and such variations and modifications are within thescope of the present disclosure.

It is further noted that although first elongated member 14 ispreferably formed of a first panel 42 and a second panel 46, firstelongated member 14 may be formed of a piece of material. By way ofexample, material may be folded and seamed to form a pocket or aninterior space 44.

Referring to FIG. 4, second elongated member 18 is shown between thefirst panel 42 and the second panel 46 of first elongated member 14. Inaccordance with the present disclosure, second elongated member 18comprises a length of nylon binding strap (also known as nylon bindingtape) that extends from first end 30 of first elongated member 14 to thebuckle 38 and returns to the first end 30 such that second elongatedmember 18 comprises a loop. Although a non-elastic, nylon, binding strapmaterial is preferred for use as second elongated member 18, otherelongated types of materials may be used, such as a section of rope,belt, tubing, hose, band, or combinations thereof, where such structuresthereby form a means for compressing a body part. The ends of secondelongated member 18 are preferably attached only at the tip 58 of thefirst end 30 of first elongated member 14, such as by sewing, gluing,stapling, clamping, heat/ultra-sound (sonic) welding, or combinationsthereof. Thus, second elongated member 18 can slide within the interiorspace 44 of first elongated member 14. Accordingly, second elongatedmember 18 comprises a material that has frictional characteristics,allowing it to slide within the interior space 44 of first elongatedmember 14 when a tensile force is applied to second elongated member 18.Although not required, depending upon the types of materials used toform first elongated member 14 and second elongated member 18, theinterior space 44 of first elongated member 14 may optionally include asubstance, such as a powder or other lubricant, to assist with thefrictional characteristics between the surfaces of second elongatedmember 18 and the interior space 44 of first elongated member 14.

In accordance with the present disclosure, the tourniquet may comprisean inner strap 18 that extends through an end or a slit (not shown) atthe first end 30, such as a slit in the first panel 42 of firstelongated member 14. Second elongated member 18 may then be attached tothe distal end of the second panel 46. Alternatively, a slit (not shown)may be formed in the second panel 46 and second elongated member 18attached to the distal end of the first panel 42.

According to the present disclosure, the tourniquet 10 may be configuredsuch that a layer (i.e., not a loop) of material is used to form secondelongated member 18. Here, a first end of second elongated member 18 isattached at or near the tip 58 of the first end 30 of first elongatedmember 14, and a second end of second elongated member 18 is attached ator near buckle 38, with an intermediate portion not attached to firstelongated member 14, thereby allowing second elongated member 18 toslide within first elongated member 14. The tension mechanism 22 can beused to tighten second elongated member 18, such as by winding awindlass 74 to develop tension in second elongated member 18. Whenrotated, windlass 74 produces a force with a linear component and atorsional component.

Referring to FIG. 4, in accordance with the present disclosure,tourniquet 10 preferably includes a base member 62. As by way of exampleand not limitation, base member 62 may be formed of a KYDEX® (KieerdexCompany, LLC, Mount Laurel, N.J.) thermoplastic or moldable (as forexample, injection moldable) plastic. A first end 66 of base member 62preferably includes a securing mechanism 26, as will be discussed below.Second panel 46 of first elongated member 14 extends over at least aportion of base member 62, passes through means for looping, such asbuckle 38, and folds back to a second end 70 of base member 62. Theedges of second panel 46 between buckle 38 and second end 70 of basemember 62 are preferably connected, as for example, by sewing, gluing,stapling, clamping, or heat/ultra-sound (sonic) welding, therebyattaching second end 34 of first elongated member 14 to buckle 38.

Referring to FIG. 4, according to the present disclosure, secondelongated member 18 emerges from first elongated member 14 at opening 54where it is connected to tension mechanism 22. In FIG. 4, tensionmechanism 22 comprises a windlass 74 that is shown in an unwoundposition. Windlass 74 comprises a plastic material; other types ofmaterials are also within the scope of the disclosure. In accordancewith the present disclosure, second elongated member 18 passes through aslot or an aperture 78 in windlass 74, and as described above, secondelongated member 18 extends to and around buckle 38.

Referring to FIG. 7, a plan view of second end 34 of first elongatedmember 14 is shown. Here, first elongated member 14 is looped throughbuckle 38; tension mechanism 22, comprising windlass 74, as will bedescribed below, is not shown wound to tighten second elongated member18.

Referring now to FIG. 8, a plan view of the second end 34 of firstelongated member 14 is shown. Here, first elongated member 14 is runthrough buckle 38 to form a loop and windlass 74 has been partiallywound, thereby applying a tensile force to second elongated member 18.Since the end of second elongated member 18 is attached to tip 58 offirst elongated member 14, when windlass 74 is rotated, the intermediateportion of second elongated member 18 slides within first elongatedmember 14, essentially scrunching first elongated member 14 relative tosecond elongated member 18 as second elongated member 18 is increasinglytightened. The tightened second elongated member 18 provides even radialcompressive pressure to limb L.

Referring now to FIG. 5, a cross-sectional view of tourniquet 10 isshown, including second end 34 of tourniquet 10 with windlass 74 in apartially wound position. More particularly, in use, after first end 30of first elongated member 14 is run through buckle 38 and attached tolimb L shown in FIG. 1, windlass 74 is rotated, such as in the directionof arrows A1 and A2, to apply a tensile force to at least a portion ofsecond elongated member 18. Since second elongated member 18 is attachedto a tip 58 of first end 30 of first elongated member 14, secondelongated member 18 slides in the direction of arrows A3 and A4 withinfirst elongated member 14 as windlass 74 is rotated, thereby pullingsecond elongated member 18 and providing a circumferentially appliedcompression force to limb L. The tensile force is primarily developed inthe portion of second elongated member 18 between buckle 38 and windlass74, with typically a lesser amount of tension developed in theoverlapping portion of second elongated member 18 between buckle 38 andtip 58, because second elongated member 18 bends around buckle 38 afterbeing applied to limb L, the bend tends to prevent the slippage ofsecond elongated member 18 in the overlapped portion. After windlass 74is tightened, tourniquet 10 restricts blood flow in limb L. Accordingly,tourniquet 10 of the present disclosure offers the advantage of anunlimited number of possible twists. More particularly, many prior arttourniquets are limited to a set number of twists by their windlasses,thus limiting the compression otherwise possible. As a result, suchprior art tourniquets are venous tourniquets and are not suitable forarterial occlusion. The combination of first elongated member 14, innerstrap 18, and tension mechanism 22 of the present disclosure overcomethis prior art limitation.

Referring now to FIG. 6, a cross-sectional view of the second end 34 oftourniquet 10 is shown with windlass 74 in a wound position. Inaccordance with the present disclosure, after windlass 74 has beensufficiently tightened to restrict arterial blood flow in the appendage,windlass 74 may be secured using securing mechanism 26. The securingmechanism 26 provides a means for securing or preventing windlass 74from unwinding. Thus, securing mechanism 26 maintains the wound positionof windlass 74, and thereby maintains tension in second elongated member18.

In accordance with the present disclosure, and as best seen in FIGS. 1,7, and 8, securing mechanism 26 preferably comprises a pair of opposinghooked catches 82 set transverse to the longitudinal axis LA-LA oftourniquet 10.

More particularly, hooked catches 82 are preferably sized to cup or holdwindlass 74, or a portion thereof, and prevent it from unwinding.Accordingly, hooked catches 82 are sufficiently stiff to provideadequate resistance against tensile force within second elongated member18, as transferred to hooked catches 82 by windlass 74. In accordancewith the present disclosure, and by way of example and not limitation,hooked catches 82 may be formed of a KYDEX® thermoplastic material ormolded plastic that may be integrally formed with, or otherwiseconnected to, base member 62. Use of two opposing hooked catches 82allows the user to rotate windlass 74 in either direction, with one ofthe two hooked catches 82 always able to prevent windlass 74 fromunwinding. It is to be understood that use of a single hooked catch 82may be used and is within the scope of the present disclosure. Forhooked catch 82, the user rotates windlass 74 in the proper direction toallow tension in second elongated member 18 to be resisted by hookedcatch 82 once winding of the windlass 74 and tensioning of secondelongated member 18 is completed.

In accordance with the present disclosure, securing mechanism 26 maycomprise a strap positioned transversely to a longitudinal axis LA-LA offirst elongated member 14. As for example, a transversely oriented straphaving hook and loop fastening portions or an elastic band engaging ahook or button may be provided to secure windlass 74 in its woundposition.

In another alternative, a transversely oriented strap 86 may be used incombination with hooked catches 82. Such a combination of structuresallows the user to secure windlass 74 and move about (or be moved byanother person) with less concern of windlass 74 dislodging from hookedcatches 82 and unwinding. In accordance with the present disclosure, forhooked catches 82 used in combination with a transversely oriented strap86, the outer surface of hooked catches 82 may comprise a hook or loopmaterial, and a surface of transversely oriented strap 86 may comprise acomplementary hook or loop material to interlock with the material onhooked catches 82.

With reference to FIGS. 9-11, buckle 38 is shown for use in tourniquet10. As previously described, first end 30 of first elongated member 14is looped through buckle 38 and pulled tight around limb L to allowfirst elongated member 14 to circumferentially surround or encircle limbL. More specifically, buckle 38 includes a first lateral side 90, asecond lateral side 94, and an intermediate bar 98 generally parallel toand located between first lateral side 90 and second lateral side 94.Intermediate bar 98 includes a top surface 102, a bottom surface 106, afirst intermediate sidewall 110, and a second intermediate sidewall 114located between top surface 102 and bottom surface 106. A first end 118and a second end 122 of buckle 38 interconnect first lateral side 90,second lateral side 94, and intermediate bar 98. First lateral side 90includes a first lateral sidewall 132 and an anti-torsion plate 150, andsecond lateral side 94 includes a second lateral sidewall 136. Locatedbetween first lateral side 90 and intermediate bar 98 is a first port126, and formed between second lateral side 94 and intermediate bar 98is a second port 130. Each port provides a route or pathway for loopingfirst elongated member 14 through buckle 38 during tightening andloosening of first elongated member 14 around limb L shown in FIG. 1.Buckle 38 is preferably constructed of a polymer, such as plastic orrubber, it is also contemplated that buckle 38 could be constructed ofother materials, such as metals or composites.

Referring now to FIGS. 12 and 13, second end 34 of first elongatedmember 14 is fed through first port 126, from top 124 to bottom 123 ofbuckle 38. Second end 34 of first elongated member 14 is preferablyattached to the remainder of first elongated member 14 by sewing,gluing, stapling, clamping, heat/ultra-sound (sonic) welding, or acombination thereof, thereby attaching second end 34 of first elongatedmember 14 to buckle 38.

With respect to FIGS. 9-13, anti-torsion plate 150 is shown extendinghorizontally from first lateral side 90. During operation, anti-torsionplate 150 provides resistance at buckle 38 against a torsional forcetransferred by windlass 74 of the tension mechanism 22 to secondelongated member 18. With reference to FIG. 1, the resistance at buckle38 prevents the torsional force transferred by the windlass 74 to secondelongated member 18 from twisting buckle 38, thereby reducing thelikelihood of the buckle 38 pinching the Limb L during operation.

Referring now to FIGS. 9, 12 and 13, second port 130 includes a toothset 138 mounted to second lateral sidewall 136 for inhibiting movementof first elongated member 14 with respect to buckle 38. Tooth set 138comprises at least one tooth. With reference to FIG. 13, each toothincludes a top surface 142, an inclined surface 146, and an edge orprojection 148 therebetween. During operation and with respect to FIG.12, first end 30 of first elongated member 14 is fed through second port130 from bottom 123 to top 124 of buckle 38. After first end 30 hasexited second port 130 and been pulled to tightness around limb L, thehook and loop fastener on outer surface 50 of first end 30 of firstelongated member 14 is mated with the hook and loop fastener on bottomsurface 50 of the remainder of first elongated member 14 in order toattach first elongated member 14 around the appendage.

Referring now to FIG. 13, a more detailed view illustrating theinteraction between tooth set 138 and first elongated member 14 isshown. More specifically, once first end 30 of first elongated member 14has been fed through second port 130, projections 148 of tooth set 138engage with the hooks and loops on outer surface 50 of first elongatedmember 14.

Increased drag on first elongated member 14, provides resistance to thefree movement of first elongated member 14 relative to the buckle 38.Drag is especially useful in situations when the hook and loop fasteneron the bottom surface of first end 30 of first elongated member 14accidentally detaches from the hook and loop fastener on outer surface50 of the remainder of first elongated member 14. Thus, the one or moreteeth provide an extra safety mechanism to prevent inadvertentdisengagement of first end 30 of first elongated member 14 from buckle38 when, for instance, a patient utilizing tourniquet 10 is moved,dragged, crawls, etc. Further, those of ordinary skill in the art willappreciate how the inclined surface 146 of the tooth set 138 facilitatesmovement of first elongated member 14 in a tightening direction oftravel 154.

Referring to FIG. 13, the arrangement of tooth set 138 on buckle 38 isadvantageous to simplify the manufacturing of buckle 38 in addition tofacilitating the tightening movement of first elongated member 14 withinbuckle 38. While tooth set 138 is illustrated as being situated insecond port 130, ordinary artisans will appreciate that there can be oneor more than one tooth set and that they can be situated in either firstport 126 or second port 130 or both first port 126 and second port 130.Additionally, it will be appreciated that one tooth set can be invertedwhile the other is not, or both tooth sets can be inverted or notinverted, in order to satisfy specific functional preferences regardingthe facilitation of or drag to the movement of first elongated member 14when interacting with the overall surface of the tooth set(s). Regardingthe various possible tooth set arrangements, it will further beappreciated that first end 30 of first elongated member 14 can be fedthrough first port 126 from bottom 123 to top 124 of buckle 38, overintermediate bar 98, and then through second port 130 from top 124 tobottom 123 of buckle 38. Relevant considerations in determining whichfeatures to incorporate in buckle 38 may include ease and cost ofmanufacturing, ease of assembly of first elongated member 14 and buckle38, familiarity of the operators with buckle 38, and an amount of dragapplied to first elongated member 14, among others.

Further, while four teeth are shown in tooth set 138, it is contemplatedthat fewer teeth (including a single tooth) may be provided tofacilitate manufacturing, to provide for fewer sharp edges, or for otherreasons that an operator may desire. Additionally, more than four teethmay be provided to increase the gripping ability of tooth set 138.Further, while each tooth is shown to be of a triangular profile, teethof other shapes are within the scope of the present disclosure, such asbulbous-shaped teeth, teeth having sharp points, or teeth having twoinclined surfaces, among others. Also, the angle of any inclinedsurfaces can be modified in order to provide more or less drag on firstelongated member 14.

Many modifications and substitutions will come to mind to one skilled inthe art to which this disclosure pertains having the benefit of theteachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associateddrawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the disclosure is notto be limited to the specific examples provided and that modificationsand substitutions are intended to be included within the scope of theappended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they areused in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes oflimitation. In addition, where possible, any terms expressed in thesingular form herein are meant to also include the plural form and/orvice versa. As used herein, “at least one” shall mean “one or more” andthese phrases are intended to be interchangeable. Accordingly, the terms“a” and/or “an” shall mean “at least one” or “one or more,” even thoughthe phrase “one or more” or “at least one” is also used herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A tourniquet, comprising: (a) a first elongatedmember having a first end and a second end; (b) a second elongatedmember having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end ofsaid second elongated member and said second end of said secondelongated member are attached to said second end of said first elongatedmember with an intermediate portion of said second elongated memberbetween said first end of said second elongated member and said secondend of said second elongated member, said second elongated member beingslidable with respect to said first elongated member; (c) a windlassoperable to apply a force to said intermediate portion, said forcehaving a lineal component and a torsional component; (d) a buckle having(1) a first lateral side with a first lateral sidewall, (2) ananti-torsion plate attached to said first lateral sidewall, (3) a secondlateral side; and (4) an intermediate bar located between said firstlateral side and said second lateral side, wherein said second end ofsaid first elongated member is dimensioned to be inserted between saidfirst lateral side and said intermediate bar, and said anti-torsionplate resists said torsional component of said force on saidintermediate portion when said force is applied to said intermediateportion by said windlass.
 2. The tourniquet of claim 1, wherein saidanti-torsion plate has a side, and wherein said loop in said second endof said first elongated member encircles said anti-torsion plate.
 3. Thetourniquet of claim 1, wherein said anti-torsion plate is rectangularand has a first side, a second side and a third side, said first side ofsaid rectangle being attached to said first lateral sidewall of saidfirst lateral side, and wherein said loop is attached along a secondside and a third side of said anti-torsion plate.
 4. The tourniquet ofclaim 1, further comprising a base, said first elongated member attachedto said base and operable, when said windlass applies a force to saidsecond elongated member, to draw said first end of said second elongatedmember and said second end of said second elongated member toward saidbase.
 5. The tourniquet of claim 1, wherein said second lateral side ofsaid buckle has at least one tooth.
 6. The tourniquet of claim 1,wherein said second lateral side of said buckle has four teeth.
 7. Thetourniquet of claim 1, wherein said second lateral side of said bucklehas at least one tooth extending toward said intermediate bar.
 8. Atourniquet, comprising: (a) a first elongated member having a first endand an opposing second end; (b) a windlass operatively connected to saidfirst elongated member and operable to apply a force to said firstelongated member, said force having a linear component and a torsionalcomponent; (c) a buckle having (1) a first lateral side with a firstlateral sidewall, (2) an anti-torsion plate attached to said firstlateral sidewall, (3) a second lateral side; and (4) an intermediate barlocated between said first lateral side and said second lateral side,wherein said second end of said first elongated member is dimensioned topass between said first lateral side and said intermediate bar of saidbuckle, said anti-torsion plate resisting said torsional component ofsaid force on said loop when said force is applied by said windlass. 9.The tourniquet of claim 8, wherein said second lateral side of saidbuckle has at least one tooth.
 10. The tourniquet of claim 8, whereinsaid second lateral side of said buckle has four teeth.
 11. Thetourniquet of claim 8, wherein said second lateral side of said bucklehas at least one tooth extending toward said intermediate bar.
 12. Atourniquet, comprising: (a) a first elongated member having a first endand an opposing second end; (b) a second elongated member having a firstend and a second end, wherein said first end of said second elongatedmember and said second end of said second elongated member are attachedto said second end of said first elongated member with an intermediateportion of said second elongated member between said first end of saidsecond elongated member and said second end of said second elongatedmember being slidable with respect to said first elongated member; (c) awindlass operable to apply force to said intermediate portion, saidforce having a lineal component and a torsional component; (d) a bucklehaving (1) a first lateral side with a first lateral sidewall, (2) asecond lateral side; and (3) an intermediate bar located between saidfirst lateral side and said second lateral side, wherein said second endof said first elongated member is dimensioned to fit between said firstlateral side and said intermediate bar; and (e) an anti-torsion platecarried by said second elongated member, said anti-torsion plateresisting said torsional component of said force on said intermediateportion of said second elongated member when said force is applied tosaid intermediate portion by said windlass.
 13. The tourniquet of claim12, wherein said anti-torsion plate is a rectangle.
 14. The tourniquetof claim 12, wherein said anti-torsion plate is attached to said buckle.15. The tourniquet of claim 12, wherein said anti-torsion plate isattached to said second lateral side of said buckle.
 16. The tourniquetof claim 12, wherein said anti-torsion plate is attached to said secondlateral side of said buckle wherein said anti-torsion plate extendstoward said intermediate portion of said second elongated member. 17.The tourniquet of claim 12, wherein said anti-torsion plate is coveredby said first end of said second elongated member.
 18. The tourniquet ofclaim 12, wherein said anti-torsion plate is held within said secondelongated member.